Album Review: Lucero - When You Found Me

www.luceromusic.com

Memphis based roots rock band Lucero continue their association with Nashville operation Thirty Tigers with the release of their second album on this progressive platform. WHEN YOU FOUND ME follows in a similar vein to their 2018 outing when the horns synonymous with their hometown sound were eased out for a rawer rock 'n' roll feel. In line with AMONG THE GHOSTS finding new audiences the same could happen with this album that also features band frontman Ben Nichols shaping his writing from a deeper and more sensitive personal perspective. If the gravitational pull is for Lucero to float in the Americana ether then they will be in fine company as the feel from the new album is akin to those pioneers of alt-country who form a significant band within the broad umbrella of the ubiquitous genre. 

While the writing subjects on Lucero's new record are strongly influenced by the tender moments of family placidity, there is still a harsh side to the vocals coupled with rousing guitar being the dominant sound even when experimental synthesiser is partly added. These factors strongly give the album an overall feeling of experiencing live music in a thronged setting especially relevant in Lucero's case as they are as likely to flourish in a dive bar as a large arena.

The combination of edgy grit and sensitive core make this record an appealing pull. Whether you listen closely to decipher Nichols' lyrics or sit back and let the vibes from an evocative album ravish your senses, the music of Lucero is set for a renewed presence in 2021. The band have a lot of credit in the bank in light of a twenty-plus year recording career and many accolades far and wide. However it can be lethal to stand still and wallow in past glories. With this in mind the current output and direction of Lucero puts them in a position to court new fans.

The status of Lucero means there will be no shortage of coverage, insight and opinion once the album is released. The song selling point for me spins on the axis of the inter-generational third person narrative piece 'Coffin Nails' where Nichols takes on the role of his grandfather contemplating the death of his own father, and the standout track 'Back in Ohio'. There isn't a lot of background information on the latter, but this scintillating emotive rocker  needs nothing more to project it than a magnetic pull, effective straight from first play. These two songs will repay any investment before you sink into the album's deeper appeal.

Whether you choose to embrace the lyrical route of a profound personal message or just simply view that the record creates the ideal imagery of standing in a crowded space intoxicated by the magic of meaningful and energetic music, WHEN YOU FOUND ME will resonate and leave its gilded mark. Lucero have acquired many fans on their distinguished path and this shows no sign of relenting as the group power on with standard bearing albums like this. A blueprint to wrap a sensitive message in a gruff hardened exterior is a suitable summary of what Lucero curate here. Existing fans will need no introduction, otherwise checking them out from a newbie perspective is worth creating a little listening space for.

Album Review: Forty Elephant Gang - Next Time Around

 

www.fortyelephantgang.com

A memorable name is a useful starting point to draw folks in to checking out what you have to offer. By naming their band after an infamous group of female pickpockets from the Elephant and Castle, this East London based trio have secured the ideal starting point and are well equipped to warm those who take a punt on their brand of folk-inspired anglicised Americana music. NEXT TIME AROUND by Forty Elephant Gang is a debut offering of eleven tracks that bins the term potential and delivers a major hit straight from the off.

Guitars and mandolin inspire the sound marshalled by Forty Elephant Gang who use the simple tools at their disposal to craft a mature brand of musicianship, whilst keeping an eager eye on serving up a catchy tune. The album mixes an ideal blend of gentle and rousing moments to give the listener a comprehensive peep into what they have to offer. Whether you are moved by the foot stomping mandolin-driven folk vibes of 'Jealousy' or the country waltz-like feel to 'Young Man's Game' and 'Sweet Marie', the eleven tracks wonderfully cover many bases. Indeed the latter two are an exceptional pairing (though not scheduled together in the running order) with 'Sweet Marie' impressively sprinting out the blocks to be album's premium moment. 

You can fully understand why the band have projected opening track 'Songs of Praise' as the key selling point with its catchy qualities and chant-like pull. "I've got an open mind" is a repeated mantra, although I am not too sure about the scratchy bit added to the end. Maybe I should have an open mind! Another track that could have been hauled out of the pile to spread the word far and wide is the delicate contemporary pop song 'Strange Things' complete with a neat hook to attract the crowd. 

Elsewhere the album rarely stands still exemplified by the retro stance of 'Hollow Man Blues' complete with a distant crackly sound and poignant social commentary attached to 'Drunken Promise Song'. This track contains one of several moments where the band are not afraid to dip into lengthier instrumental interludes. On a similar instrumental theme, a little cello is detected at the end of 'Light on Water' and some cool mandolin shines brightly on 'Beside You'. The remaining two tracks are the foot tapping ditty 'Better Man' and the short tranquil closer 'Morning Light'. 

Forty Elephant Gang are an earthier twist to the nu-folk boom that propelled certain UK roots and acoustic bands to the mainstream around a decade ago. They possess an interesting streak that is as likely to catch the ear of the cool media tastemakers as that of the keen eared blogger. NEXT TIME AROUND may be also a cryptic comment to when the band could really burst open with a ripened acoustic anthem. In the meantime there is comfort in the assertion that they make music that eases between the intimate backroom bar through the heaving concert hall and thriving in the collective force of the festival field. 

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Album Review: Jack Cade - The Death Throes of a Jaded Empire

 

www.jackcade.com

The music of Jack Cade emerges from an atmospheric mist of dry ice to create an instant impact upon the ears of a curious crowd. This crowd may or may not be unsuspecting, but some spadework is likely to be the order of the day to dig deep into the rich seam of an artist as distinctive as you are likely to come across on the roots circuit. Don't expect an easy ride if you fancy taking pot luck with a new artist, and this album is certainly not for the faint hearted. From the implied message in its title, THE DEATH THROES OF A JADED EMPIRE is a vehicle to lament on how things aren't really what they should be and maybe a spot of songwriting therapy can free the soul. Make no mistake this will be filed among the darker elements in your music collection, yet that corner can be awash with riches. 

Beneath the power hammer vibes of Cade's pounding vocals lie a bunch of irresistible songs headed by the mesmerising 'The Amber Lights', a song rapidly becoming a dominant soundtrack to the opening month of 2021. Here Cade graphically documents the decline of an English seaside town, a symbolism close to the heart of this south coast raised Englishman. There is a streak of Johnny Cash in alt country/folk mode here especially if you excavate a little deeper. Thoughts turned to the Handsome Family as an associate sound, but having played some of the songs the realisation dawned that Cade flourishes in a deeper seam. 

If any further heads up is required as to which empire is considered jaded and in its death throes, tune into 'The Awakening', a track singled out for promotion ahead of this album release. "History is written by the winners, no matter if they are the sinners" goes a long way to sharing a candid sentiment in the opening salvo. Questions are asked and listen out to see whether answers are forthcoming. 

The first two songs mentioned here form part of a high impact opening trio led off by the infectious scene setter 'It Ain't Easy'. The remainder of the album bubbles along in the chosen key until erupting with the rousing anthem, and painfully truthful 'What do the People Say'. There is a dawn feel to this song especially following two of the album's darker moments in 'Night Terrors' and 'Some Bruises Don't Fade'. The dawn analogy extends into the album closer when 'Deep Blue Sea' shares a breath of optimism that the death of a jaded empire may not be such as bad thing.

The soundtrack accompanying Cade's cavernous vocals and deeply perceptive songs is perfectly framed, and you can see why his work has wandered into cinematic territories such is its evocative presence. It wouldn't take too many guesses to  discover that a horror edge appears in the destination of his music. 

THE DEATH THROES OF A JADED EMPIRE follows in the wake of Jack Cade's two most recent albums from 2016 and 2019 respectively, and it definitely takes a turn down a darker avenue especially than its most immediate predecessor BEAR BONES. Maybe this album is just the tonic required for the weird times we live, and fans of roots music fully understand that an edge of melancholy fuels a positive outlook. Take your time with this one, tweak the antenna, find Jack Cade's wavelength and a treasure trove will also emerge from that proverbial mist. 

Album Review: Giulia Millanta - Tomorrow is a Bird

www.giuliamillanta.com

Another new year, another new name, and a welcome one to boot. TOMORROW IS A BIRD took a maiden flight back in October from its Austin home and now veers its path to a Euro destination with a focussed release on the old world - literally for exiled Italian Giulia Millanta. Whether you are a veteran of this artist's previous six albums or totally new like me, there is something to be enjoyed from the quirky edge that is etched into a hugely creative body of work. 

Millanta is firmly embedded into the Austin music scene since moving there in 2012. A scene that prides itself on being inclusive, forward thinking and embracing a cultural aside. This comes across in the ten tracks on the album that are mainly self-written by an artist who adds the notch of being a recently published author to her repertoire. However it is the musical side of her creativity that is pushed to the fore here and succeeds as a captivating piece of work complete with an alternative twist in parts. 

One familiar name listed in the co-writing, playing and producing credits is Gabriel Rhodes, known for a lot more than just being the son of Texas legend Kimmie Rhodes. While he and the other participants have no doubt played a significant part in making this record, you are wholly immersed into the deep rooted and pondering world of Giulia Millanta throughout the half an hour duration 

The vocal and instrumental production retains an appealing trait throughout as the album meanders from a fairly straightforward opening into a slightly more left field core before slipping away gently with a return to convention. While there is no killer track to lift this album into a lofty stratosphere, an engaging and satisfying opening trio of 'Castle in the Clouds', 'Tomorrow is a Bird' and 'In a Dream' do more than enough to win a listener over. You wouldn't be adrift in anointing the title track as the standout song, but its doesn't soar head and shoulders above it peers. 

From the moment 'Sugar Home' heralds a change of tempo, you feel a sense of Millanta's creative energy taking charge and the subsequent trio of 'Animal', 'Kiss You Goodbye' and 'Breathe' move the listening experience into slightly experimental territory. Maybe this is where the literary genes take over and the ideas guide the music. However, arranging the song order into these two zones keeps things alert and spiced up. 

The remainder of the album sees a return to a more conventional feel with 'Quiet Fight' and 'Violet' before the ironically titled 'Unconventional' gracefully brings things to a low key end. Throughout, you feel in the company of an artist finely schooled in making fascinating and accomplished music. 

TOMORROW IS A BIRD is an imaginative and stimulating album, one befitting the Austin mantra and those who use the location as a base to fuel their ideals. Giulia Millanta makes delightfully accessible music with an edge to challenge and refrain from predictability. 

More can be found on this album by accessing its Bandcamp page.

Album Review: Anna Elizabeth Laube - Annamania

 

www.annaelizabethlaube.com

While artists at the pinnacle of the market have the luxury of releasing a greatest hits album at an opportune moment, those further down the food chain have to be more creative when it comes to taking stock of a career and releasing something retrospective. Anna Elizabeth Laube is one such artist and no doubt hopes that ANNAMANIA is a conduit to a prosperous future. Regardless of their commercial status the songs chosen for this reflective collection of a recording career stretching back fifteen years are all 'hits' in an alternative universe where substance trumps style. 

This is epitomised by Laube's standout song 'Sweet Boy From Minnesota' which shone like a beacon when released on her self-titled album in 2015 and sits proudly as the opening piece on this collection. It is joined by two others from ANNA LAUBE (for keen observers released prior to the inclusion of the middle name to either formalise matters or make them grander).'Already There' and 'Oh My! (Oh Me Oh Me Oh My) join the aforementioned standout track to represent this album and join a further ten songs from both a back and present catalogue.

The word present is used because three of the tracks are songs that haven't appeared on a Laube album before. This interesting trio includes a beautifully curated cover of Tom Petty's 'Time to Move On' and an earthier fuller number in 'I'm Gone', one that has been featured in a TV series and offers a different feel to most of her material. The most pleasing member of this trio is the delightful 'Jardim da Estrela', and a song that punches its way into the album's 'A' class. Most importantly it signals that there is plenty of life in the creative pen of Anna Elizabeth Laube and indicates that after this period of reflection a prosperous future of new material may be on the horizon. By naming this song after a park in Lisbon, we get an insight to the continental influences of a much travelled singer-songwriter who though now back in her Wisconsin home has rarely set down roots in a long roaming career. 

Back to the retrospective material and there are three further albums where tracks are drawn from. The oldest of these is OUTTA MY HEAD from 2006 and the rawer blues-infused style of 'If You Build it' and 'Beautiful Boy' distinctly highlight how her sound has evolved over a career of many miles. The next album represented is 2009's POOL ALL THE LOVE POOL ALL THE KNOWLEDGE. Although not acquainted with this album, it doesn't require too much thought to realise why the infectious 'Hippie Boyfriend' made the cut. 

Bringing us almost up to date, four tracks are added from the most recent release TREE including the title piece, 'All My Runnin'', 'Sunny Days' and another favourite off the record - 'Please Let it Rain in California Tonight'. All are worthy entrants and go a long way to defining what an articulate and accomplished songwriter Anna Elizabeth Laube is.

Like many classic folk-inspired contemporary singer-songwriter albums, piano frequently takes centre stage and is the perfect accompaniment for the work of an artist blessed with a talent of beautifully spinning a song. ANNAMANIA may be a brash title, but Anna Elizabeth Laube has every reason to take enormous pride in the work she has produced. 

Album Review: Brad Cox - My Mind's Projection

www.iambradcox.com

Make no mistake Brad Cox is groomed for that high octane tub thumping stage moment when a powerful sound reverberates around an arena and remnants of country evaporate in a haze of rock, both in a soft and hardened fashion. There is also the ingredient designed to fuel a chase for that competitive buck harnessed by country radio and road mapped by an industry smart enough to tap into profitable trends. MY MIND'S PROJECTION is loaded upfront with these credentials, yet there is a subtle underpinning when you strip away the pretence. Cox is astute enough to pack the rump of this album with a hybrid sound that widens the expanse of influence. He excels at the sensitive country rock ballad and is determined enough to push his writing to the fore. Of course like any major label backed project the writing falls into the realms of the team approach, but you feel that Cox is in control and what you get is straight from his own heart and soul. 

From the rich seam of a modern country heritage that at least draws influence from the outback, Brad Cox operates on a dual continent basis and has made inroads in a US circuit dominated by alpha tendencies as well as conquering his homeland. This Aussie from New South Wales has much to offer in a record that is drawing accolades from the hierarchy back home. For those prepared to veer off the up front and in your face offering of opening duo 'Hold Me Back' and 'Drinking Season', there is an absolute gem of a track in the guise of 'Wasted Time' right in the gut of this record. Here Cox opens up his Aussie soul to bare the fruits of his craft with a track that coats itself with a contemporary roots sheen. Pairing this track with another stellar offering in 'Thought I Knew Love' is a smart move to woo those wanting a little more than a sandwich filling without the substantial crust. 

There is further fluctuation as the album heads down its virtual highway with the bright breezy and optimistic 'I Keep Driving' getting things back on track after a misfiring gear change with 'Give Me Tonight', another track primed to attack a market. By the time we get to the penultimate song, Cox is prepared to let his bluesy inhibitions free with the shiftier darkness of 'Caught in a Noose by a Stranger', an eight minute epic ripe for album junkies. Earlier in the record it was the rhythm part added to the blues as the motion sways to the hip swinging beat of the title track 'My Mind's Projection' complete with a fleeting dose of brass.

Perhaps the one track that defines the album is 'Remedy', a fully-fledged rock ballad featuring fellow Aussie Adam Eckersley. One that is of the highest order and punches well in the company of illustrious peers. Prior to this, Cox slots in 'Short Lived love' that acts as a bridging track from stomping opening to the softer inner belly. In one final act of duality, as pompous as the album began Cox chooses to deftly leave the scene with the pensive 'I Still Want More'. 

MY MIND'S PROJECTION does have contrasting shades that broaden the appeal. Whether you buy into the uptempo promotional element or the refiner inner sanctum, bases are amply covered. Brad Cox successfully channels a commercial drive with artistic integrity to show that a brash brazen sound can have sufficient cultured edges to stand the test of critical ears. Every tip of the hat this album gets is richly deserved.

Album Review: Gerry Spehar - Lady Liberty (EP)

 

www.gerryspehar.com

You will have to travel far in 2021 to find a record with greater personal satisfaction for the artist than this impromptu EP by Colorado based troubadour Gerry Spehar. Releasing LADY LIBERTY to the world on January 20th, Inauguration Day, is also no coincidence, and eagle eyed fans can trace it back to track #1 on Spehar's 2018 album ANGER MANAGEMENT. 

At that time, the now single term tenure of the 45th President was at its midpoint and Spehar's own anger management was successfully channelled into a good ole traditional protest album, one greeted with widespread approval by outlets whose boat is floated by such records. The opening track on that album was rather ironically titled 'Thank You Donald', perhaps suggesting that the protest song market was about to receive a stimulus. Now on the date that the 46th President is sworn in, Spehar sparks a different tone on his latest record while still holding onto the theme of protest, although with a desire that things will change in the post-Trump world. 

In a quirky method of presentation, the five songs comprising this EP are packaged in two stand-alone tracks and a further three more brought together under the banner 'Immigrant Suite'. This latter trio appear on the download both as a merged effort and on their own to confuse unaware ears on a first uninformed spin. One of these tracks - 'Barrier Reef' also appeared on the previous album, but the context is different this time. What is not in doubt is the cultured status of Spehar to cultivate a powerful piece and succinctly make his point in the standard sub-five minute window of a popular song. 

You sometimes get the impression that protest music is the sole domain of one person and a guitar, but LADY LIBERTY sees a much wider instrumental landscape used with steel, fiddle, electric guitar and even trumpet featuring across the five tracks. The overall feel is of a deeper production that doesn't overpower the message.

The message focuses on three specific areas - a return to pre-2016 American values on 'Lady Liberty, Day One'; the true heroes of the pandemic response on 'Laura Dean' and the movement of people across its southern borders in the 'Immigrant Suite' trilogy. What links all three is Spehar's no doubt hope that at least the narrative will change on all three from January 20th onwards. 

LADY LIBERTY is certainly a record for a moment in time. Additionally it sparked a revived interest in an earlier album and that is further kudos to Gerry Spehar, a songwriter of increasing importance. 

Album Review: Peach & Quiet - Just Beyond the Shine

www.peachandquietmusic.com

Peach & Quiet may appear as a new name with a debut album unveiled to the waiting world, but there are heaps of experience behind the facade which essentially functions as life partners duo Heather Read and Jonny Miller. As a first outing JUST BEYOND THE SHINE skips across the airwaves with a sense of purpose and cheery demeanour, whilst oozing with the class and structure of a seasoned operation. The album is a prime blend of luscious folk rock delicately decorated with a 60s sheen and some sincere country-folk in the tradition of that combo-genre's finest duets. 

Two names that jumped out from the engine room of Peach & Quiet are Steve Dawson and Adam Dobres, both witnessed playing in the UK over the years - the former in conjunction with Birds of Chicago and the latter as a member of Ruth Moody's touring band. Indeed the multiple guitar parts that the pair likely added are an integral part of this album's appeal that hits you straight from the opening bars of the first track. 

'Empty to Fill' is the song that launches the album with Miller teeing off a vocal contribution that sways between switched leads and some delightful duet efforts. Jonny Miller is a 30 year plus stalwart of the Canadian west coast music scene and doubles up as the main writer on a record comprising of nine tracks, of which all but one are band originals. The exception being another version of 'Seven Daffodils' to join the many others since this song first surfaced in the late 50s. A couple of the originals are co-written with Miller's partner Heather Read, who chips in with her own solo composition - 'Shoreline After a Storm'. Read also takes vocal lead on this track which is one of the album's darker numbers awash with cinematic tendencies and full on folk rather than a hybrid effort. 

Just prior to this number, Read takes the listener into exquisite country territory with the gorgeous 'California Way'-  a clear standout candidate in my book closely followed by 'Flowers Grow' and 'For My Love'. The first of these sees the album lean back in a 60s folk rock direction complete with jangly guitar while the second aims for the top in the tender duet ballad stakes and ascends to the summit. If this last one had a twin track on the album, it would have to be 'Will You', complete with a classic country-folk sound and securely anchored in the core of the album. 

Throughout a playing time that just about exceeds half an hour, you feel suspended in familiar territory as each song is accompanied by a popular vibe to make the album accessible to all. JUST BEYOND THE SHINE puts a marker down that 2021 could be one those years that hits new heights. Outside the realms of hyperbole, Peach & Quiet has made a record that is easy to admire and ripe for enjoyment. Fundamentals maybe, but when in place the potential for a record to grow is boundless. 

Bandcamp is a recommended source to check out and support this album.